5 Easy Ways To Wake Up Happy, You Old Curmudgeon

Not a morning person? Read it!

I have never understood morning people. There is absolutely nothing to be smiling about at 7 a.m., thank you very much. Sadly, most of us morning-haters have to wake up just as early as the sadists

I have never understood morning people. There is absolutely nothing to be smiling about at 7 a.m., thank you very much. Sadly, most of us morning-haters have to wake up just as early as the sadists who actually enjoy dawn. To even the playing field, I’ve compiled a list of ways to wake up happy for all my ladies with a similar temperament.

1. Wake Up To Sunshine

When you wake up to sun pouring through your windows, your body is signaled to stop its flow of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. This always works for me; waking up to a sun-filled room means that the day has begun and I need to start my morning routine. If you are worried that leaving your blinds open will cause the sun to wake you up before your alarm goes off, buy an eye mask.

2. Don’t Snooze

Apparently, our brains know all about the snooze button, so when you are in your morning tussle with your alarm, your brain won’t put you back in a deep, restful sleep — it knows that you will have to get up in a few minutes. This means that you are messing with your sleep cycle, and you will wake up more tired than you would have in the first place.

3. Put On Music

Putting on good music will put you in a good mood in the morning, for obvious reasons, and if it’s upbeat, it will help you stay awake. Be careful about setting your favorite song as your alarm, though — you might end up hating it. Try turning on music once you are up and moving. You’ll make fewer negative associations, and you’ll be too busy dancing to bad remixes to be upset about being up.

4. Drink Water

Drinking water when you get up is a great way to provide energy by making up for the fluids your body lost while you were asleep. Because everything your body does requires water, when you’re dehydrated, it has to work harder, which can make you feel even more tired. Plus, drinking water is amazing for your body in general, and this is a great trick for getting your daily eight ounces.

5. Power Down Before Bed

Turn all of your screens off an hour before bed. TVs, computers, and iPads are all stimulators, so it can be hard for your brain to wind down for sleep right after you use them. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the benefit of this outweighs the joys of falling asleep watching Netflix.

So try these tips out! Who knows, you might end up hating the morning a little less.